# Texas A&M links high temperatures to increased mealybug feeding in lab tests

- Published: 2026-11-06 08:53 UTC
- Section: Life & Health › Agritech & food
- Tags: pasture mealybug feeding, Texas A&M AgriLife research, electropenetrography insect study, heat induced crop damage, invasive forage pests
- URL: https://realtech.media/news/rt-18e6de0aa35c0a64595718a1_texas_a_m/

**Electropenetrography experiments show that heat drives mealybugs to consume more water and inject more toxins into plant tissues.**

![Texas A&M links high temperatures to increased mealybug feeding in lab tests](https://sgzwpqqelzmajkcubgkl.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/rt-media/2026/11/84b375c28e7233c0.jpg)
*USDAgov, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain*

Researchers at Texas A&M AgriLife Research demonstrated that elevated temperatures alter mealybug feeding behavior, potentially explaining why pasture infestations inflict more severe damage during hot periods, reports EurekAlert [1]. The laboratory experiments, led by doctoral student Ashley Zavala and epidemiologist Thomas Chappell, utilize electropenetrography to measure the mechanical and biological aspects of insect ingestion under shifting microclimates [1]. The findings aim to support forage management against invasive pasture mealybugs that have spread to 114 Texas counties since being confirmed in July 2025 [1].

## Sensor tracking of insect feeding

To quantify feeding dynamics, scientists applied electropenetrography (EPG) by wiring insect specimens and host plants to electrical sensors [1]. The system records electrical waveforms that correspond to specific insect activities, such as tissue puncture, sap ingestion, and secretion [1]. While initial trials focused on a related mealybug species feeding on pepper plants, the team is translating the behavioral profiles to pasture mealybugs, which threaten forage grasses including Bermuda, Bahia, and bluestems across Texas, Florida, Georgia, and Louisiana [1].

## Temperature effects on plant damage

The sensor waveforms revealed that thermal stress forces mealybugs to adjust their fluid intake between plant vascular tissues [1]. When temperatures rise, the insects tap into the xylem more frequently to extract water and maintain hydration [1]. Concurrently, elevated heat increased the rate at which mealybugs salivate into the nutrient-rich phloem [1]. Because mealybug saliva carries destructive enzymes and toxins, this elevated secretion accelerates plant tissue dieback without requiring an increase in pest population density [1].

Texas A&M AgriLife has mobilized an Emerging Pest Task Force to integrate these behavioral insights into pasture protection programs [1]. Scientists are linking the feeding data with environmental parameters like canopy density, humidity, and rainfall to design predictive models [1]. These models are intended to help ranchers optimize pesticide application schedules before heat-accelerated feeding causes irreversible pasture degradation [1].

## Sources

1. [EurekAlert](https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1150719)

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Source: RealTech, realtech.media — https://realtech.media/news/rt-18e6de0aa35c0a64595718a1_texas_a_m/